Building Blocks 101

Use this activity to help the children understand the
strength of a church or a life which has Jesus Christ as its foundation.

Put three bricks and about ten playing cards in
a bag.

Pull one brick out of the bag and put the brick
on the floor. Explain that the brick represents a foundation based
on the belief that Jesus is the Messiah.

Pull the playing cards out of the bag and form
another foundation by standing the cards on edge. You may need to
tape the cards together. Explain that the cards represent a
foundation based on money, power, an important job, and other material
things.

Pull another brick out of the bag. Explain
that this brick represents the church or a person's life. Put this
brick on the brick foundation which represents the belief that Jesus is the
Messiah. Point out how sturdy the church or the life is when
based on Jesus.

Pull the last brick out of the bag.
Explain that this brick also represents the church or a person's
life. Put this brick on the card foundation which represents material
things. The brick should cause the card foundation to fall.

Compare the strength and stability of the brick
foundation representing a belief in Jesus to the weakness and instability of the card
foundation which represents material things.

Children may get the impression that money, power,
job, and other material things are bad. Material things are not bad as
long as God comes first and the material things do not damage a person's
relationship with God. A person's wealth may cause that person to view
God differently. For example, a person's wealth may cause that person
to stop being friends with people who have no money.